Speech Sound Development and Clarity - what is it?
Speech is a skill that children begin to develop with the first sounds they make as babies. For most children, their first words are made up of simple sounds such as "Mama", "Dada" or "bye-bye". Gradually children begin to use their speech skills, or sounds, to form language. Language refers to the use of words and sentences to convey ideas. As children begin to develop more complicated language, they produce longer words and sentences that require more fine motor control (i.e., co-ordinating their tongue, lips, breaths and thoughts). By the time they are ready to go to school, most children have speech that is easily understood by an unfamiliar listener.
Why are Early Speech Development and Clarity Important?
Children generally understand far more (this is their "receptive language") than they are able to articulate themselves ("expressive language") in the early stages. The earlier they are attempting new words and saying the words with the correct speech sounds, the more likely it is that frustration for the parents, carers and the children will be kept at a minimum. If a child can understand what is going on but cannot clearly say what they want, the child can show significant frustration.
In addition, if a child is not talking, we may not think to keep expanding what we show them and teach them... adults are less likely to provide more and more complex input if the children are not responding to us with speech. We can underestimate just what they understand! There is a lot of research investigating the links between early speech development and cognitive growth (e.g., IQ achievement). Scientists are making incredible discoveries about the growing brain and there is much evidence showing that the first 5-6 years of a child's life is crucial for laying down the neural pathways in the brain. It has not only been suggested that the speech that even a newborn hears lays early pathways, but the ultimate time to encourage the foundations of language and vocabulary is in the first 5 years of life.
While there is variation in the age of onset of babble, early words and expressive language development, research suggests that children with early speech and language skills are likely to be more social, confident, have higher self-esteem and demonstrate better later academic success.
Early speech and language stimulation - stimulation that begins at birth - is essential to ensure your child's speech and language development is optimised. There has been a lot of research investigating the outcomes of even mild delays in speech and language development in the preschool years. Studies estimate that of late talking 2 yr olds, up to 44% can still have speech and language problems at 3 and 4 years of age if early speech stimulation is not provided. It has been estimated that 16% of 3 year olds have speech and language problems and 3.8% of these continue to have problems at 6 years of age. More than half of these children encounter later academic difficulties in language, reading and spelling. Early focus on speech and language can reduce the likelihood that your child will fall into that percentage and allow them to meet their full academic potential.
The residual effect of early speech and language problems can be life long. Research has shown that up to 50-70% of children with speech and language problems in preschool have general academic problems in Grade 12. Early speech problems have been shown to negatively impact on phonological awareness development. Phonological awareness skills in the preschool years are thought to be the best predictor of later reading success.
Behavioural and social difficulties have frequently been linked to poor speech development. Young children with speech and language delays may have difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings as well as understanding what others say to them. This causes frustration and confusion that can lead to biting. Biting may be the only way some children feel they can control their interactions with others. Biting can say, "Stop bothering me", "I was playing with that", "pay attention to me", "I'm tired and need a nap" and many other things for the frustrated child. If children develop early speech skills they can communicate these thoughts and feelings before they revert to not so friendly or unacceptable behaviours. Simple words like "me", "mine", "my turn", "no", "where teddy" can make a big difference to how people will respond to them.
It has been found that behavioural and social issues are more prevalent in school age children and adolescents with a history of speech problems. Social relationship problems and other behavioural problems may even persist after the actual speech and language problems resolve. Many poor behaviours can be avoided with early speech development and focus on clarity.
The importance of communication and information skills and technologies in work places will continue to increase in the future. An individual's future occupation, social success and ultimately socio-economic success could all lie in their early communication skill development!!!!
Investing in a child's early speech development and clarity could be one of the biggest gift you can offer.
Back to "Books"
How will the Top Talk® Sound Adventure Books Assist in Speech Sound Development and Clarity?
Though it may not seem like it, from the moment your child is born they are taking in all that is necessary to learn about their world - including the ability to speak. While it is true that all children will learn new skills at different ages and stages, it is also true that there is much that you can do to help them along the way.
A lot of the actual speech that you hear from a child is dependent on the development of muscles and motor skills associated with speaking however so much more of the skills required for speaking has a lot to do with what is going on in their head. There is much you can do to help them along.
Developing techniques and skills as a carer that will assist you to stimulate your baby, toddler or child in everyday interactions can give your child an edge. Social interactions with other small children of similar ages and more specifically with similar speech and language skills, can rapidly boost communication development.
Another way to boost your child's speech and learning is of course through books!!!
Almost every book, web-site or information pamphlet on child rearing will suggest that reading books to children is a must for optimising development. Most professionals will emphasise the need to start reading books to children from as young as 5-6 months. You don't have to finish a whole book. Encouraging them to enjoy looking at colourful pictures, and naming key pictures, is an excellent way of boost speech and learning skills from a very early age. There are some who believe that books are more appropriate than electronic devices, DVDs and the like due to the interactive nature of books. Books allows the adult reading with the child to more readily adapt to the child's level of ability, their specific focus within the book or across books of similar topic or interest; and encourages spontaneous speech and language prompted by the joint reading of an interesting book.
The Top Talk® Sound Adventure Books are unique in that they have incorporate both speech and language stimulation techniques and made the focus of the books on specific speech sounds. There are many books that focus on letters but the Top Talk® Sound Adventure Books assist the children to develop speech development and clarity while the children are delighted with the characters and adventures. Top Talk® Sound Adventure Books have Pop's Top Tips throughout, giving suggestions and information for parents and carers ensuring that those entrusted with the child's development are given easy and practical ideas to encourage speech development.
All Top Talk® Sound Adventure Books build speech skills in many ways and include:
- Encouraging clarity and reducing 'slurring' and 'mumbling'. Top Talk® Sound Adventure Books begin with a magic chant that is in fact a way to encourage mouth and tongue exercises (like a gym workout for the mouth)!!!!
- By comparing the target sound with other sounds (e.g, key to Tea), the child has valuable opportunities to hear that what sound is said really is important to the person listening - this is referred to as auditory discrimination skills.
- While taking the child on an exciting adventure, it also entices the child to actively practise and repeat specific speech sounds. Through the story the child reading the book is encouraged to say specific speech sounds on their own (e.g., p, p, p), in funny names of the characters (e.g., Par, Poh), at the start, middle and ends of words, in small sentences and in conversational speech. In this way they build up the speech skills necessary for correct articulation of the sounds
- At the end of each story the children are asked to re-tell part of the story. That part of the story is loaded with words containing the target sounds for that book. In this way, the children are not only using understanding and memory skills, they are given an opportunity to try to say the target skills spontaneously in conversational type speech.
